Free Parallel (Travelers Series Book 1) by Claudia Lefeve

“Impossible.”
    “What do you mean?”
    I might be new to this alternate reality stuff, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. “If my father supposedly took me to a place where I couldn’t possibly run into myself because I was already dead, how is it that he knew ahead of time? If the events happened simultaneously, how is that possible?” And for that matter, if he knew about the crash ahead of time, how could he allow my mom get on the flight here? The thought leaves me with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
    “You’re smart, I’ll give you that. But in all honestly, I can’t answer that. I’m pretty limited in what I know. I wish I could tell you more.”
    Of course he did. “I get it. I have to get answers from my father and he’s conveniently missing.”
    “You know, sarcasm isn’t a good look for you. Look, I can’t tell you things I don’t have the answers to and I know there are things you’re finding out that aren’t easy to accept, but I’ll do the best I can to explain what I do know.”
    “Fine.” I want to change the subject anyway. I don’t want to end up being all teary eyed talking about my parents right before going to a new school.
Oh shit, school!
“So tell me about this Dominion Hall Academy then. Why am I going there? It sounds like another institution.”
    “Well, it should, Dominion Hall is a private school,” he says. “It’s the most exclusive school in Northern Virginia. Actually, in all of Virginia.”
    “Super.” Maybe this universe isn’t quite everything Cooper made it out to be.

Chapter Nine
Dominion Hall Academy
    T here’s finally a break in traffic and we roll into the parking lot with several minutes to spare. I sit there, staring out the passenger side window completely stunned. The campus is almost identical to Dominion House for Girls, only the plaque at the front gate reads, Dominion Hall Academy, Est. 1924. So instead of housing foster delinquents, it is home to the nation’s finest youth in the country. The shift in priority is evident. Even though the sprawling campus hosts the same set of buildings, I’m shocked to see how pristine everything looks. How in the world am I supposed to acclimate myself to this?
    Cooper parks the car in front, facing the brick buildings. “I know. It looks the same doesn’t it, but different at the same time, huh?”
    We stay sitting in the parking lot, staring at the students amble about before class, while I gather enough courage to get out of the SUV. I was able to fool my aunt and possibly even Jaime, but this is an entirely different ballgame. How am I supposed to pretend I’ve been a part of this world in front of teachers and classmates? They’re basically strangers to me. There’s no way I’m going to be able to pull this off.
    “You’re telling me.” I cling to my backpack and resign myself to the fact that I’m no longer in Kansas anymore and suck it up. Hey, school is school, right? How much different can it possibly be it be? At least I know my way around the moss covered buildings.
    I know this is a long shot, but I ask anyway, “Are you a student here too?”
    “Sorry, darlin’. Been there, done that.”
    Great, I’m on my own again.
    “Ah, come on. It won’t be so bad. Besides, you have Jaime. Just stick close to her and you’ll be alright.”
    Easy for you to say.
    “You’ll be fine, trust me.”
    “Ugh! Stop doing that!” Cooper’s refusal to stop reading my mind infuriates me enough to give me the courage to finally get out of the SUV and face my fears: my first day of school. Not that anyone will know, but on the inside, I’m a ball of nerves. This is way worse than going to a new school for the first time. At least then, we’d all be in the same boat. But here, everyone will assume I know everyone and I don’t have the slightest clue as to what I’m doing.
    I scramble out of the truck, glad be free of Cooper’s intrusion into my thoughts,